Bord Bia Bloom 2024 attracted more than 100,000 visitors to Dublin’s Phoenix Park over the June Bank Holiday weekend.
The country’s largest garden festival, which celebrated its 18th birthday this year, included 22 show and feature gardens, 13 postcard gardens and 18 nursery displays on a 70ac site.
Over 100 of Ireland’s leading food and drink producers were also present for the five-day event.
Bloom
Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia’s chief executive said that the public appetite for Bloom remains strong.
“We were thrilled to see such a high turnout at the festival this year and to receive such overwhelmingly positive feedback from both attendees and participants.
“We work hard every year to plan and deliver an event that appeals to our diverse and broadening visitor demographic and the success of this year’s event demonstrates that after eighteen years, Bloom remains popular and relevant among the Irish people,” he said.
O’Toole added that the festival is an important trading platform for many of Bord Bia’s client companies.
“We collaborate with over 100 Irish food and drink producers, as well as Ireland’s top garden designers, nurseries, and horticulture companies, all of which are showcasing their goods and services to the over 100,000 festival attendees.
“Exhibitors have an opportunity to engage with consumers, introduce their businesses, products and new services, which results in order books being filled for the upcoming year,” he said.
Awards
The judging panel for Bloom 2024 included 13 Irish and international horticultural experts.
Awards were handed out to show garden designers, amateur postcard garden designers; plant nurseries and floral artists.
Boyne Garden Centre and Nursery from Slane in Co. Meath which was exhibiting in the outdoor nursery village claimed Gold Best in Show for their display.
Owner Aileen Muldoon Byrne said that they were very proud of their award.
“Winning at Bloom provides a boost to our company morale, and to our mail order service.
“The feedback we received from attendees over the last five days has been positive, not just for our display but across the festival,” she said.
The final day of the festival marked the announcement of a number of other awards, including:
- The People’s Choice Award, where visitors to the festival vote for their favourite show garden, was awarded to Tusla Fostering Garden – ‘Together We Grow’ designed by Robert Moore
- The Bloom 2024 garden designers select the Designer’s Choice Award, and this year the accolade was presented to Nicola Haines for her ‘Coming Home to Nature’ garden for Fingal County Council, which was also awarded the best large garden at Bord Bia Bloom 2024.
Bord Bia also presented two food awards this year for the first time:
- The Visitor’s Choice Food Award gathered votes from visitors for their favourite food truck and the Eathos food truck ,which has three restaurants in Dublin City Centre, was selected as this year’s winner;
- The Best Dressed Award went to the Co. Westmeath based Killua Farm food truck, for their creative Bloom-inspired floral display.
In keeping with previous years, and the renewed focus on sustainability and waste reduction at Bord Bia Bloom, many elements of the show and feature gardens will be relocated after the event.
It will take now take around 14 days to clear this year’s festival site.
Bord Bia has confirmed that Bloom 2025 will take place from Thursday, May 29 to Monday June 2, 2025.